In my recent Blog about the European referendum, I set out the spiritual reasons why I believed that the UK should leave the European Union. As I write these words on the morning of the 24th June, the nation, the European Union and, indeed, the markets of all the world’s major economies are in utter turmoil!
Contrary to everyone’s expectations, the unthinkable has happened. By a very significant majority the United Kingdom has voted to leave the EU and the Prime Minister, David Cameron, has offered his resignation. It is a totally extraordinary result, way outside the parameters of anyone’s expectations. The Remain camp, which ended the day yesterday confident of victory, is this morning in disarray, completely at a loss to explain what has happened. The victory is reminiscent of some of the victories of David when the Lord acted on his behalf to overcome the Philistines.
Yesterday morning, I settled down to a time of personal prayer for the nation. My reading for the day happened to be Psalm 75 in which the psalmist declares in verse 7 that “it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.”
Then this morning the daily Seeds of the Kingdom devotional from Ellel Ministries, written by one of our team serving in Europe, happened to be based on the Scripture from Exodus 2:25, which says “He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.” (NLT). As I read those words they came to me as a strong confirmation that not only was the referendum result extraordinary, but it was indeed a massive answer to prayer. God has acted to set the UK free from the external spiritual control of the European Union. God has not forgotten our history and He has given this nation another opportunity to recover its spiritual destiny.
This is a time to renew our commitment as believers to be intercessors for the nations – both for the UK and for all the other nations of the European Union. From a place of freedom, I believe we will be much better positioned to stand alongside our brothers and sisters in Europe, serving one another in the Body of Christ. Ellel Ministries has centres and operations throughout the whole of Europe and we are trusting that just as God has answered the prayers of His people for the UK, that He will also answer the prayers of believers right across the continent.
I ended my pre-referendum blog with these words:
“On the 23rd of June I will be voting to leave the EU – but I’m already praying for those hidden ‘Jehoshaphats’, ‘Daniels’ and ‘Josephs’ to come to the fore of public life, and start steering our nation back to the godly roots from which it has currently wandered so far.”
This must now be the urgent prayer agenda of God’s people.
A friend and brother in our church runs a successful medium-sized business in our town providing employment and food on the table for a significant number of people. He said the other day ‘Thanks to leaving the EU I no longer have to pay my employees the minimum wage.’ It’s not that he wants to cut their wages, but in a cut throat environment, that’s what his competitors will be doing.
Question: should he make the most of this opportunity to ‘take control’ of his business or should he continue to pay what experts have judged is a just and fair salary…? And if he does uphold their needs, how will he continue to compete sufficiently to keep the business afloat against those that won’t?
For decades the anti-EU agenda has been led mainly by those who espouse the power of economic ‘freedom’ and have resented the ‘EU forces’ which oppose this – forces which may indeed at times have provided bafflingly obscure and heavy-handed legislation but, to pick just 3 positive examples, have also upheld
– rights for the disabled
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36594664
– rights for low paid workers (e.g. legislation on paid holidays, improved health and safety, unpaid parental leave and currently working to ensure written contracts for all workers)
– not to mention Sunday working rights as mentioned by someone above
I hope I don’t have to remind you that trades unions, care for the disabled and Sunday trading protections are 3 causes which were led from the outset by God-fearing visionaries in our nation until successive secular UK governments have done what they could to undermine them.
Basically I suggest the principal interest of ‘taking control’ to the forces of UK commerce has little to do with economic migrants (whose hard work and low expectations often makes them great employees), nor petty legislation but more to do with eradicating the current EU safeguards on the lowest paid and most vulnerable.
Doubtless we shall fight our way out of our current predicament. One day, what’s left of the British Union may even be great again – please God. But at what cost to the weak, poor and vulnerable in our nation?
We are not and never have been God’s chosen nation. So let’s not confuse any past prosperity, nor achieving a hoped-for referendum outcome with God’s favour. Instead let us look to God’s ample guidance in Scripture for establishing a just and equitable society right here, right now, until He comes. Shalom.
God is sovereign and He has His reason to do something contrary to our reasoning which in this case is mainly based on economic consideration. We see the political changes in the Philippines and the US where a “strongman” has risen up. Is there a message that something has gone so wrong that God wants radical steps to correct it? Let us pray and seek His will.
Oh Lord, redeem our peoples’ hearts from the grip of fear of change,
We open up our hearts today for you to rearrange.
May the curses of failure from peoples’ mouths drop and die,
The fear and the hate in Jesus’ name we deny.
Take our love away from our money and gold,
Let our saftety and ease come in being in your fold.
May the young and the old, the rich and the poor
Know peace in their hearts, and hope O so sure.
Whatever the future of this land does hold,
We trust in you for this story untold.
May all who call this blessed land their home,
Be loved and included, not be left just to roam.
Let us find a way for us all to live good lives,
We pray no longer our indifference survives.
May all who need work find a real fair chance,
Get a kingdom to build, a life to advance.
Please crown our leaders with wisdom and skill,
May they fear you Lord, and make us a city on a hill.
We ask you now to come and lead us on our way,
For in you we remain, our Lord forever stay.
Richard Fila
Father in heaven
We, your people, thank you for your compassion and graciousness (Exodus 34:6) towards us and our fellow countrymen and women in delivering the United Kingdom from the European Union and all of the satanic entities that hide in the shadows behind it. As your Word says:
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
Your Word also says:
“For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” (Romans 13:1)
You have established that the United Kingdom is to again be a nation under the sovereignty of Her Majesty The Queen. We ask you to move powerfully by your Spirit in the coming days and weeks in order that what you have established in heaven will be established speedily on earth (Matthew 6:10). May your Name thus be hallowed in this matter (Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:2).
We thank you for granting us the freedom to: “lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:2); pursue the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20); “do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Galatians 6:10); and show mercy to unbelieving Israel (Romans 11:31).
Having counted the cost (Luke 14:28), we soberly commit ourselves afresh to your service and ask you to strengthen us with power through Your Spirit (Ephesians 3:16).
In the name of Yeshua the Messiah, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16).
Amen.
I would like to add to this blog:
Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. Isaiah 57 v 1
I don’t wish to take this verse out of context but I wonder if , yet unknown to us , we are actually being spared something , that may be evil, to come that we can’t see but the Lord in His mercy can?
Yes we are in a volatile time now of uncertainty but I think we all knew that if were going to be unplugged as it were from a socket that the light would go out forva while….now we need The Lord to lighten our darkness…
Even the agnostic (but wonderful to watch on TV ) Sir David Attenborough read recently at the Queens birthday service the line..”put your hand into the Hand of God, which shall be unto you a more certain way
( I can’t quite remember it exactly!)
And as all those in high office listened to him and the prayers and scriptures read in the presence of our believing christian Monarch let us remember that if God cares for the sparrows , and clothes the grass of the field, will He not also care for us!
Anyway , I am no expert on these affairs but I do pray that we will heal and this division, even amongst Christians will be healed by God’s balm / salve…..we need His Salvation!
Thankyou Peter for your words at this truly seismic time in the history of our nation.
Thank you Peter. Yes yes yes! We too are delighted and bowled over by such a wonderful intervention of God and answer to prayer.
Standing beside the nations of Europe from a position of freedom, as you say, seems so right and NOT as the headlines are saying that we have turned our back on Europe.
The Lord has been gracious to us in His abundant mercy. I, and many like me (I am sure) have been face down before God on the matter of the EU for a very long time. My continuing mission now is for righteous government. Very thankfully, we are now in a postion for The Lord to raise up a righteous cabinet for us. Let us remember Jehoshaphat who The Lord preserved despite his unholy alliance with Ahab and when the king did not learn his lesson destroyed the trade mission he had agreed with Ahab’s son Ahazaiah. Also, The Lord caused the nations around Israel to bring Jehoshaphat presents ! Let’s believe for those!
The Apostle Paul reminded the Philippians that as they had partnered with him and aided him in his work they therefore, partook of his grace (The Lord’s favour and blessings upon Paul’s life were also upon the Philippians). This nation was partnered with a secular, humanistic, atheistic, and anti-Semitic institution called the EU . How could we possibly prosper in it . Rhetorical question. There is a spiritual law of association.
I will not forget Scotland in my prayers (that wonderful land of Ospreys) or South Africa. So I declare, ‘This nation will remain united’ . The Lord bless you and keep you Scotland and South Africa. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
Well said Reverend – united we stand, divided we fall has all but been forgottenby the voters in the referendum – and may I ask ‘What godly roots?’. like all nations, except Israel, the Lord was not in the hearts of our pagan ancestors. Of course there can be many valid criticisms of the way the EU is run or their justice system but the vision of a United Europe was conceived first in the hearts of many godly folk – if it hasn’t proved the great blessing the UK originally beliebd it would be, then maybe, as usual, Christians have prayed very little for the lord to steer the ship – sorry Peter, we can’t accredit the Lord for the result!
This is spot on. I’d be interested in hearing Ellel’s comment on this which is also completely biblically based.
Hallelujah! God has indeed done it!! PTL
Strongly strongly disagree. I voted remain after much thought and prayer. I believe in community, as God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe in co-operation and collaboration. The National Front is emerging it’s ugly head in France. A large retail complex will now demand to open on Easter Sunday, as they blame EU rules from preventing them. Who will hear the “Daniels” or “Josephs” if we act in isolation? Remember what Jesus said about feeding the hungry and caring for the very least of people – we did it for him. Are refugees the very least of people? Will Jesus be in them?
Praise the Lord for this Holy Spirit inspired result. As well as being an answer to the many prayers of God’s people I believe God has had mercy on our nation because we continued to provide significant amounts of aid to poorer countries.
All those years ago I voted not to go into the eu. Now I voted to leave and like you Peter know it is time for change ,God has guided us. We are always asked to pray for the rulers, governments and all that lead us. Our prayer is needed now for the right people to govern us. We have had to stand up and be counted not just follow what others say but listen to God. while turmoil surrounds us we now have peace.
God bless
Chris xxx
…And this morning my bible reading was this: “Whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have been false to me and neither remembered me nor pondered this in your hearts?… When you cry out for help let your collection of idols save you!” Isaiah 57: 11,13
…Alternative interpretation of the result… A largely godless nation led by unscrupulous careerists has voted in self-interest on the ungodly basis of fear, prejudice and personal gain, forsaking the wider community of which it was a part and which had established an unprecedented 70 years of peace after centuries of intra-continental bloodshed. The dreams of 75% of our young people who looked forward to continued co-operation and security with their neighbours have been shattered by their elders on the basis largely of xenophobia and fear of the alien and the stranger whom God clearly calls us to love. The nation has spoken. I pray God has not now abandoned us to ourselves, but I do believe that, like Jeremiah, we are now called to follow our community into this Egypt of false hopes and misplaced security. In particular as the economic and political chaos hits the poorest and most vulnerable in our barely United Kingdom let’s search our hearts for what we can do to bring Jesus’ love to those on the receiving end.
I am delighted with the result, but please pray for Scotland! Many, many Scots do not want Independence in spite of the leader’s rhetoric!
Thank you
Liz
Kindly remember us in your prayers : South Africa…….. Our country is in desperate need of a major turnaround on all levels of society ……..it is in a heart wrenching down spiral, that only God can turnaround.
Thanks so much for this blog …..it means so much to me personally. With kind regards.
Gretha
Hi Peter, I had a sense of God in control as I read my daily devotional today which just happens to be in a couple of verses earlier in Psalm 75:2,3 ‘It is I who choose the appointed time; it is I who judge with equity. When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.’
I will be praying the urgent prayer agenda along with other believers.
Susan
As someone who passionately believes in unity – as a ‘sacred’ principle – and who voted ‘Remain’ because of that and because I have gained immeasurably from the richness of friendships (being a French speaker who has lived and worked in both Sweden and Germany) and would like the UK to remain ‘united’, the only reason I could possibly have voted ‘leave’ would have been my Christian belief and utter love for God’s word to be at the heart of that, so thank you for posting your thoughts and prayers – and may your prayer re raising ‘Jehoshaphats’, ‘Daniels’ and ‘Josephs’ be answered – I shall now pray with you!
I THANK GOD FOR THE DECISION OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM TO LEAVE THE EUROPEAN UNION. RAJAMANICKAM PANDIAN, TAMILNADU, INDIA.
Praise and thank God indeed for this victory, it really is an answer to prayer. You are so right, we must continue to pray for this nation and for our brothers and sisters in Europe and worldwide